300continues to endure due to its exaggerated, thrilling action, and as a classic tale of a brave protagonist fighting against insurmountable odds. As a heavily fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae,300sees Leonidas, the King of Sparta, leading an army of 300 Spartans against the Persian tyrant King Xerxes and his army composed of more than 300,000 soldiers.300is still widely regarded as one of thebest projects in Zack Snyder’s careerthat was well-suited to his directing and writing styles.
While300is heavy on action and the spectacle it creates, the film’s cast is equally importantto cementing its legacy. Many of the300actors' careers were transformeddue to the film’s success, paving the way for future roles in a variety of projects. Without these performances that provided the necessary dramatic weight and occasional humor to the story, Snyder’s creative vision for300would not have worked, and the film would not be as entertaining to watch.
Gerard Butler as King Leonidas
Date of Birth: June 01, 2025
Actor: Gerard Butler is a Scottish actor born in Paisley, Scotland. Butler’s first onscreen role was as Archie Brown in the 1997 filmMrs. Brown, which starred Judi Dench. His breakout role came a few years later as Count Dracula inDracula 2000. He later went on to play the titular lead in the 2004 film adaptation ofThe Phantom of the Opera.Butler’s performance as King Leonidas in300cemented him as an action star, leading toButler’s future action rolesin films includingOlympus Has FallenandDen of Thieves.
2000
2004
300
2006
2010
2013
2016
John Garrity
2020
Character: Butler plays King Leonidas in300, who refuses to submit to the invading King Xerxes. Leonidas famously shouts,“This is Sparta!“when he kicks the Persian messenger into an endless pit, which became one of the most iconic scenes in300and in Butler’s career. Leonidas' resistance does not end there, as he and his 300 fellow Spartan soldiers defend Sparta from Xerxes and his seemingly infinite forces, with Leonidas proving to be a courageous and formidable warrior who will not compromise his principles, no matter what he is offered.
Lena Headey as Queen Gorgo
Date of Birth: August 02, 2025
Actor: Lena Headey is an English actor born in Hamilton, Bermuda. Her role as Angelika inThe Brothers Grimm, starring Matt Damon and Heath Ledger, along with playing Queen Gorgo in300,led to more widespread recognition, as did playing the leading role of Sarah Connor inTerminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.Headey later landed her most iconic role as Queen Cersei Lannister inGame of Thrones, which aired for eight seasons and became a cultural phenomenon. AfterGame of Thronesended, she voiced Maudra Fara inThe Dark Crystal: Age of Resistanceand played Aster Calyx inBeacon 23.
2005
2008-2009
2011-2019
2019
Aster Calyx
2023-present
Character: Headey’s300character is the queen of Sparta and the wife of King Leonidas. While Leonidas and his fellow Spartan soldiers fight King Xerxes' forces, Queen Gorgo remains in Sparta, and uses her position to attempt to convince the Spartan Council to send reinforcements to aid her husband. Gorgo is met with resistance and her attempts are stymied by politicians whose loyalties have been bought by Xerxes, but she is determined to acquire the necessary reinforcements to support Leonidas and Sparta. Headey reprised the role in asequel,300: Rise of an Empire, in which Gorgo’s fight for justice continues.
David Wenham as Dilios
Date of Birth: July 22, 2025
Actor: David Wenham is an Australian actor born in Sydney, Australia. Wenham was primarily known for acting in Australian films and television series untilhe hadhis international breakout role as Faramir inThe Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. He reprised the role of Faramir inThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kingas well. While Faramir remains his most iconic role, he played Dilios in300and its sequel,300: Rise of an Empire, along with roles inPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Talesand in Baz Luhrmann’sElvisfilm.
Role
Release Years
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2002, 2003
2017
Hank Snow
2022
Character: Wenham’s character, Dilios, is the film’s narrator and one of the 300 Spartan soldiers fighting alongside King Leonidas. When Dilios is injured, and the Spartans are betrayed by Ephialtes and abandoned by the Arcadians, Leonidas commands Dilios to return to Sparta to reveal what has happened. While Dilios does not want to leave, it saves Dilios' life, and makes him the lone survivor of the 300 Spartans. It is later revealed that he has been narrating the story’s events to the Spartan Council, with the tale serving as inspiration to form a mighty army to combat King Xerxes.
Rodrigo Santoro as King Xerxes
Date of Birth: June 07, 2025
Actor: Rodrigo Santoro is a Brazilian actor born in Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Santoro was known for his roles in Brazilian telenovelas beforehe had his international breakout role as King Xerxes in300and later reprised the role in300: Rise of an Empire. Prior to300, he played Karl in one of the ten stories in the 2003 romantic comedy filmLove Actually. He landed supporting roles in the popular television seriesLostandWestworld, playing Oceanic Flight 815 survivor Paulo inLostseason 3 and a host named Hector Escaton in all four seasons ofWestworld.
2003
2006-2007
2011
2015
Hector Escaton
2016-2020
Character: King Xerxes is the primary antagonist of300as he seeks to conquer Sparta and destroy the Spartans' way of life. Xerxes is more than just a king as he is treated like a god by his subjects. He not only tries to defeat his enemies through the brute force of his massive armies, but is also manipulative, as he successfully bribes corrupt Spartan politicians and Ephialtes. Xerxes tries to manipulate Leonidas, offering him the opportunity to become the warlord of all Greece, but Leonidas refuses, and proves that Xerxes is not a god after all.
Dominic West as Theron
Date of Birth: August 15, 2025
Actor: Dominic West is an English actor born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England.His breakout role was as Detective Jimmy McNulty in HBO’s critically acclaimed seriesThe Wire, which aired from 2002-2008. In addition toThe Wire, West is known for his roles as Noah Solloway in the Showtime seriesThe Affair, as Charles, the Prince of Wales in Netflix’sThe Crown, and as Jean Valjean in the BBC’s miniseries adaptation ofLes Misérables. He also has a cameo inStar Wars: The Phantom Menaceas Jerus Jannick, a member of the Royal Naboo Security Forces.
2002-2008
2014-2019
2018
2018-2019
The Crownseasons 5 and 6
Charles
2022-2023
Character: West’s300character, Theron, is a Spartan politician who has been secretly bribed by King Xerxes. Theron uses his political position to try and weaken Sparta and their attempts to resist Xerxes' invasion, especially once Leonidas and his fellow soldiers depart from Sparta. Theron takes advantage of Leonidas' absence and uses this against Queen Gorgo. Despite Theron’s machinations, Gorgo is able to expose his vile nature and true loyalties.
Michael Fassbender as Stelios
Date of Birth: June 14, 2025
Actor: Michael Fassbender is an Irish actor born in Heidelberg, Germany.300was his first feature film and wassoon followed by his breakout role as Bobby Sands in the 2008 filmHunger. Fassbender continued to gain prominence as Lieutenant Archie Hicox in Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 filmInglourious Basterds, and even more so as Magneto/Erik Lehnsherr inX-Men: First Classand in its sequels. He received Academy Award nominations for his performances in12 Years A Slaveand inSteve Jobs.
2008
2009
2011, 2014, 2016, 2019
2012
The Killer
2023
Character: Fassbender plays Stelios, a young and talented Spartan soldier among the elite unit of 300. What he lacks in experience, he makes up for in skill and enthusiasm, quickly proving himself to be a valuable member of Leonidas' forces. When one of the Persians threatens Stelios, telling him that the Persians' many arrows will block out the sun, Stelios replies,“Then we will fight in the shade,“which is one of300’s most memorable quotes.
Vincent Regan as Captain Artemis
Date of Birth: July 28, 2025
Actor: Vincent Regan is a Welsh actor born in Swansea, Wales. Regan played Eudorus, one of Achilles' commanders in the 2004 filmTroy, starring Brad Pitt, and played Cepheus in the 2010 filmClash of the Titans, starring Sam Worthington.He more recently played King Atlan inAquaman and the Lost Kingdom, along with his television roles as Monkey D. Garp in Netflix’s live-actionOne Pieceseries and as Ser Rickard Thorne inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, a member of the Kingsguard who is Alicent Hightower’s sworn protector.
Clash of the Titans
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
House of the Dragonseason 2
Ser Rickard Thorne
2024-present
Character: Regan’s300character, Captain Artemis, is a loyal captain and friend to Leonidas, and a member of the 300 fearsome Spartan warriors. Artemis' eldest son, Astinos, serves among the 300 Spartans as well. Artemis endures significant tragedy when Astinos dies during the Spartans' battles against the Persians. This loss makes Artemis an even more formidable fighter, with many Persians falling at the hands of such a skilled warrior.
Andrew Tiernan as Ephialtes
Date of Birth: August 10, 2025
Actor: Andrew Tiernan is a British actor and director born in Birmingham, England.His film debut was inEdward II, playing Piers Gaveston in a cast that included Tilda Swinton in the role of Isabella. In addition to his300role, which Tiernan reprised in300: Rise of an Empire, he has appeared in episodes ofDoctor Whoand the popular BBC mystery seriesJonathan Creek, along with playing a vampire in the 1994 filmInterview with the Vampire, featuring Tom Cruise in the lead role. Tiernan’s directorial debut came in 2015 with the feature filmDragonfly.
1991
Interview with the Vampire
1994
300: Rise of an Empire
Ephialtes
2014
Character: Ephialtes is a physically disabled Spartan who longs to join Leonidas and his unit of 300 Spartan soldiers. He tells Leonidas about a secret path the Persians could use against them, but Leonidas still does not let Ephialtes join the Spartans' ranks, deeming Ephialtes physically unfit to fight alongside them. Leonidas' rejection comes at a high cost as Ephialtes reveals the secret path to King Xerxes, who offers money, women, and a soldier’s uniform in return. In300: Rise of an Empire, Ephialtes admits that he regrets his actions from300.
Persian messenger
Cast
Loosely based on Frank Miller’s comic series of the same name, Zack Snyder’s 300 tells the legend of the historical battle of Thermopylae. It follows King Leonidas of Sparta (Gerard Butler) as he leads a small force of 300 Spartans against the amassed Persian army of 300,000. Meanwhile, his wife Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) remains in Sparta to negotiate reinforcements against political resistance.
